The next Walker Library Task Force Meeting is Thursday November 18th at 1:00 pm at Walker Library..
Some of the players in the last meeting... Members in attendance: Co Chairs Gregory Gray, R.T. Rybak, Members: Anita Duckor, Lisa Goodman, Diane Hofstede, Christina Melloh, Dan Niziolek, Ed Pluimer, Helen Spry. Excused: Keith Sjoquist Staff/consultants: Chuck Lutz, Cherre Palenius, Mark Winkelhake, Beth Elliott (City); Amy Ryan, Kit Hadley, Dave Kirk, Ed Koval (Library); Sally Westby (Task Force Coordinator) Community Members/Others: Library Trustee Rod Krueger, Susan Andre, Scott Bader, Jill Bode, Josephine Clark, Doug Copeland, Annella Duerr, Gary Farland, Dorie Gallagher, Caroline Griepentrog, Nancy Hite, Michael Lander, Taylor Laux, Paul Mellblom, Ben Paulus, Richard Rebers, Linda Schutz, Pat Scott, Carsten Slostad, Karen Sterk, Gary Thaden, John Veda Some highlights of the last meeting... LIBRARY: Possible funding Library referendum* $440,000 Trust fund proceeds from the Old Walker Library** $180,000 GO Tax abatement bond proceeds (city/county) $500,000 - $850,000 Private capital fundraising*** $500,000+ Hennepin County Transit Oriented Development (TOD) $400,000 MPL Land sale (air rights) to developer $350,000 - $500,000 * Subject to Library Board and City Council approval of MPL's capital plan ** Subject to Library Board approval *** As noted in other cities' mixed-use library projects OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCES: Possible funding Met Council Livable Communities Development Account (LCDA) $ 500,000 -$1M Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) $ 500,000 - $1M TOTAL $3.37M - $4.87M Parking, parking and more parking.... Amy Ryan said that the current Walker parking lot has 33 parking spaces of which 8 are designated as staff parking. The Library owns the parking lot and the City maintains and enforces the meters. The meters have a one-hour limit. Use of the parking lot varies by time of day. It is not usually busy in the morning and picks up by the end of the day. By 6 p.m. it is often full. 5.0 Feasibility of Mixed Use Development - Cherre Palenius reviewed the report prepared for the Task Force by Bonestroo & Associates (attachment 4.3). In preparing the report, Bonestroo reviewed a great deal of factual information regarding the site. They were assisted by Beth Elliot of the City's Community Planning and Economic Development division. Zoning allows a maximum of 34 residential units on the site. To meet code, 47 parking spaces are needed. Because of the size of the site, this will mean two levels of parking. If housing is developed along with a library on the site, the actual number of housing units possible will be 21 because of parking restrictions..... Duckor said she was not as comfortable as others were with the potential financing sources. She felt there was a significant difference between the cost of repairing the current roof vs. the cost of a new facility. There is no point in issuing a RFP if there is no way that a developer can make the project work.... The Mayor reminded the group that there was a difference between a new building that would last for many years and the current challenge of roof repair.... In response to a question from Hofstede, Lutz said that construction would take 12 - 18 months and could begin in April-May, 2005. Ryan said it would take the library 6 months to move back into the building so that the total amount of time that the library would be closed (or an interim site needed) would be 2 years.... 6.0 Community Comments - the following comments were made Nancy Hite of the YWCA said that the Y is bursting at the seams and looking to redevelop. A membership survey indicates interest in expanded fitness offerings and in meeting space for community gatherings. Both the Y and the Library are places that serve whole families. The Y has 200 parking spaces in its ramp - they are not all used all the time. The Y would like to explore ways to connect to the Greenway. Hite felt it made sense to see if coordination with the Library were possible. Gary Thaden - Lowry Hill East - suggested that an opportunity was lost when the Park Board was not invited to be part of the Walker Library development process. Mary Gallagher - felt the cost of redoing the Walker Library was out of control. Branch libraries in other parts of the city (e.g. Nokomis) are suffering. Cheryl Lugar - Nokomis neighborhood. Was disturbed about the gap in financing for the Walker redevelopment. Felt that the current Walker well used. It is not a flop. It is not an ugly building. Pat Scott - Kenwood Isles Area Association - Suggested that the Walker is a crucial institution for the Uptown community. She said she is committed to working with the Board to keep the Walker open. The financing gap for a new facility seems to be huge especially in light of the small library budget but she is willing to listen to the numbers and possibilities. There are developers who would like to have housing on the current Walker site and drive the Library out. Expressed concern about having the library closed for two years during redevelopment. Expressed uncertainty about whether Hennepin County and the Met Council will be willing to invest funds in Uptown. Linda Schutz - East Isles - Supported fixing the roof of the Walker. Concerned about parking at the library. Parking needs to be reasonably priced. Currently people have to watch the clock so they don't get a ticket at this library. As a result, people don't use the parking. Better computers and upgraded facilities are also needed. Expressed concern re the funding gap. Suggested that the task force consider taking public testimony at the Nov. 18 meeting as well. The Walker could be an even more important civic space in the future if Jefferson School closes. Gary Farland - ECCO - If a new facility is not affordable, he suggested there were many things that could be done to make the current library nicer (seating, d�cor). Ben Paulus - Felt it was great that a library existed on this expensive site. Did not think the Library should be sacrificed for housing. Closing the library for two years or moving it to a temporary location suggests that priorities are in the wrong place. Jill Bode - sees the roof of the current Walker as a park and likes it.... Mayor Rybak said the discussion is about a better library. There is no in interest in moving the library or getting more intense development on the site. Some comments... They left out my favorite comment from the kid from the coffee shop who said that the library should be a 5 story edifice dedicated to books and culture... Amy Ryan is leaving her position at the Minneapolis Public Library to become the new head of the Hennepin County Library in January...she's also winning an award from AIA - American Institute of Architects in Minnesota for all the building projects... Both the Minneapolis and Hennepin County Library systems have had a strong focus on brick and mortar money and building and renovation... and all that money, goes for extravagant, excessive, unnecessary structures, great for a photo-op in Architecture Minnesota magazine... but not a penny to keep the library open, or to hire enough staff, or to fund programs, or to purchase materials, or to offer the services that make a library a vital resource to our community. A lovely new building that's closed is no use to anyone. In the exclusive focus on bricks and mortar, funding and parking, the need to discuss what Mayor Rybak said was "the library as a civic space" got lost. Nancy Hite's offer to bring the YMCA into a cooperative relationship with the Walker library project was completely ignored by all the library admins and board members... Christina Melloh was the only one to try to build a bridge there... Anita Druckor's statement that there is a signficant funding gap between the cost to repair the roof and the cost of building a new library...made everyone aware...that if the money isn't found...a new library may be excluded from any potential development. Madeline Douglass Kingfield REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 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